Dough products are prepared by combining ingredients including yeast, water, and flour, among others. One method by which these ingredients can be combined to produce a dough is by a two-step method according to which a dough “preferment” (also known as a “poolish,” “slurry,” “yeast slurry,” or “sponge”) composition is first prepared to include a portion of total dough ingredients, and the balance of the total dough ingredients is later added after a certain amount of processing (e.g., “resting”) of the preferment composition.
The preferment is first prepared by combining ingredients thereof. The preferment composition is then allowed a time to rest, during which time yeast will ferment and the ingredients of the dough will develop. After resting, additional dough ingredients are added to form a finished, unproofed dough composition. Generally, for a yeast-leavened dough, yeast is again allowed to ferment in a “proofing” step, which leavens the finished dough composition before cooking. Upon cooking, the proofed dough will exhibit a recognizable flavor and aroma of a fresh-baked yeast-leavened dough product, as well as a light (leavened) composition.
In the dough and bread-making arts there is ongoing need for new and useful dough compositions, e.g., that exhibit desired functionality based on product quality, cost efficiency, or convenience.